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In Search of Afro-American Poets in Modern Times

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In Search of Afro-American Poets in Modern Times Curriculum Units by Fellows of the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute 1991 Volume IV: Recent American Poetry: Expanding the Canon In Search of Afro-American Poets in Modern Times Curriculum Unit 91.04.03 by Cynthia H. Roberts This unit was designed to meet the needs of Special Education LD (learning disabled) and SEM (socially emotionally maladjusted) students in grades 9th-12th. Based on their skills, a great deal of time will be spent on interpretation. Both oral and written activities will be used to encourage participation. It is my intention to show that students of poor neighborhoods, if given the chance and opportunity to write, have a tremendous amount to say and they are very anxious to speak through poetry. These students will be given the opportunity to let go and be creative. OBJECTIVES FOR THE UNIT 1. To encourage self-analysis, especially of one’s own pattern of thinking and rationalizing. 2. To develop an awareness of pride in the many contributions made by Afro-American poets. 3. To gain an appreciation for poetry. 4. To be able to express orally and in written form their feelings and emotions. 5. To increase reading comprehension and vocabulary building. 6. To enhance students’ oral language and social skills through group work. 7. To help students feel a sense of pride, promote learning, social growth and to help build self- esteem. Curriculum Unit 91.04.03 1 of 14 SEQUENCE OF LESSONS AND TEACHING STRATEGIES The majority of activities incorporated in this unit will concentrate on reading. This unit will cover an eight to ten week period. Classes will meet twice weekly for a total of 48 minutes each class. I. INTRODUCTION—I will introduce and discuss poetry in depth. Students will understand that poetry is age old and in its varied forms has always been the way that mankind has given expression to something more than ideas. Like music, its rhythms and cadences are universal in their emotional appeal. II. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES/SIGNIFICANT EVENTS Biographical sketches of poets will be presented to students. Students will be exposed to the historical events taking place in each poet’s career. These events include the Harlem Renaissance and the Post-Depression. IV. POETRY TERMINOLOGY I will familiarize students with terms used in the poem selections. Students will define and discuss the terms found in the unit. Students will then cite examples in selected poems by poets. V. POETRY READING Students will read each selected poem by a poet, memorizing whenever possible, and looking closely at the theme of the poem. VI. POETRY CREATIONS The final activity for this unit will deal with creative writing. Students will be asked to use any theme or style to create several poems on his/her own life. The lesson plan in the unit will detail specific suggestions. INTRODUCTION Poetry is, first and foremost, something to be enjoyed. It is a special way of using words in order to create the desired effect upon the reader and to light up the world for them. Poetry universalizes experience. It has the power to make an event seem to be happening to us although it may have occurred many years ago to people we don’t know. In this way, it opens up to every one an experience originally enjoyed by only a few. The poet sees and feels a situation in away that enables him to express it for our better understanding and enjoyment. After introducing students to poetry, the students will then proceed to studying selected Afro-American poetry in depth utilizing a format such as learning biographical and historical information about the poet (exploring the lives of each of these writers), listening to selected poems read by the teacher, using choral speaking, Curriculum Unit 91.04.03 2 of 14 learning new vocabulary words, discussion of poetry terminology, answering questions relating to the understanding of poetry, and writing creatively in response to the poetry selections. I will use selected poems from exceptional writers. These include: PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR CLAUDE McKAY GWENDOLYN BROOKS LANGSTON HUGHES COUNTEE CULLEN ARNA BONTEMPS NIKKI GIOVANNI These writers and their works were chosen for diversities in their theme, styles, and the historical perspectives. The poems I will use are influenced by art as by life. These authors write for an audience as well as out of experience. Students will have the opportunity to analyze the following poems for their reflection of Afro- American problems. These include: “Mother To Son”, “I, Too”, and “Salvation” by Langston Hughes. “Incident”, “Yet Do I Marvel” and “Tableau” by Countee Cullen. “Nikki Rosa”, “Mothers”, and “My House”, by Nikki Giovanni. “The Tropics in New York”, by Claude McKay. “Golden Slippers”, and “A Black Man Talks of Reaping”, by Arna Bontemps. “Sympathy” and “We Wear The Mask”, by Paul Laurence Dunbar. “We Real Cool”, by Gwendolyn Brooks. Students will look closely at the works of the Afro-American poets and how they perceive the world around them. Such topics as the following will be analyzed and discussed: oppression, feelings of grief, sadness, motherhood, relationships, families, and injustices. Students will get to know these gifted individuals. Each of them proved that one person can make a difference. These individuals make a difference by the part each played in awakening America to the many contributions they made. The biographical sketches given only provide students with a small amount of information on the author. I plan to emphasize through discussion and group oral reports, the many contributions each poet made to America. Students will learn in many ways these authors are individuals are just like they are. They had childhoods, families, goals, and dreams. Sometimes, they had to overcome disappointments. These poets, help us to understand ourselves and the world around us. They make us laugh, or cry and sometimes think. Often, their works inspire social change. Detailed treatment will be given to several poems. For this purpose, I plan to use choral speaking with Curriculum Unit 91.04.03 3 of 14 students. Choral Speaking has many advantages: 1. It will help to develop good clear speech. 2. It develops a love for poetry. 3. It is a form of artistic expression in which all students can join. 4. It offers for greater variety than possible through solo speaking. 1 Each poem in this section is an experience—it was for the poet who wrote it and it can be for the reader who participates in it. It has a meaning for the poet; the author combines story and idea or mood and impressions. A poem always “means” something, but not all poems have the same kinds of “meaning”. POEM SELECTIONS The collection of poems I have chosen will help to inspire students to participate in the rewarding experiences which poetry provides. LANGSTON HUGHES2 NIKKI GIOVANNI4 “Mother To Son” “Nikki Rosa” “I, Too” “Mothers” “Salvation” “My House” COUNTEE CULLEN3 CLAUDE McKAY5 “Incident” “The Tropics in New York” “Yet Do I Marvel” “Tableau” ARNA BONTEMPS6 PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR7 “Golden Slippers” “Sympathy” “A Black Man Talks of Reaping” “We Wear The Mask” GWENDOLYN BROOKS8 “We Real Cool” An appreciation of poetry is deepened and broaden by an acquaintance with it. 9 Curriculum Unit 91.04.03 4 of 14 SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL EVENTS In this section, I will be discussing the Harlem Renaissance and the post-depression of the 1930’s. In working with students, I’ve come to realize that students especially black students, have little to no knowledge about the Renaissance and how this period has anything to do with their Cultural background. I will in some detail, cite events that have occurred in History. The word Renaissance means rebirth and resurgence of art, music, and culture. There was a charge that occurred between artist and intellectuals. There was a demand for equality. This was the beginning of the Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance began around 1918 and lasted until about 1933. Although it was short lived, it changed the face of black America forever. During this time, it features some of the biggest names in writing, literature, as well as other related fields. During the Harlem Renaissance, for the first time black writers suddenly began to appear and assert the values of the black culture. There was a group of black writers who formed a group in Harlem, so they could meet and share their problems and they analyzed their works together. For the first time, blacks had attained freedom to be themselves. They had the freedom to write. By the 1900’s many blacks became professionals. There were scientist, poets, artist, and musicians. There was a desire to promote and defend the talents of blacks. Afro-Americans did flourish in their writings. The following individuals were among the poets of that period who were considered skillful in competition with other writers. Writers such as Claude McKay, Countee Cullen, Arna Bontemps and Langston Hughes established themselves as exceptional writers of this period. In the Post-Depression of the 30’s, the economic problems hit blacks the hardest. During this time, writers became concerned about the survival rather than expression. These writers found themselves getting their subject matter from the South and throughout the United States. Their subject matter was about suffering, frustration suffered by poor blacks, and humiliation of extreme poverty. Gwendolyn Brooks was among the poets during this time. The following terminology will be presented to students in this unit. The strategy for presenting this section to students will have continuity and structure. Before students begin studying actual poem selections, they will be introduced to these terms listed below: 1. MOOD—the state of feeling created by a poem, story, or play, such as sentimental or a bitter mood.
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